20 nabbed by Turkish police

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu agency said Tuesday that police searched some 30 addresses and detained 20 people linked to the anti-government protests over the past three weeks.

On Saturday, a court in the capital, Ankara, ordered the arrest of 22 protesters on charges of organizing the protests and engaging in violence. Nine others were also taken into custody on charges of damaging public property.

The authorities also accused the detainees of working on behalf of a far-left terrorist group, named the Communist Marxist-Leninist Party (MLKP).

On Friday, some 26 people appeared before a court in Ankara on charges of organizing the demonstrations against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Many countries and international organizations have expressed concern about the way the Turkish police have dealt with the anti-government protests.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has also expressed concern over the clashes between Turkish police and demonstrators, saying that officials and security forces responsible for the use of excessive force should be punished…